The Apostle John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk m truth” What great joy awaited us as we disembarked from an almost half-way-round-the-world plane trip to be greeted with the news that two of our teenage grandsons were being baptized several thousand miles apart in the same week, each unaware of the other’s actions.
This news made John’s statement live and have real meaning for us How thankful we are when we hear news of those who are obeying the command to “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth”
Everyone in the world who is not baptized is not baptized for a reason It can be helpful if we discover their reasons in hopes of encouraging them to make that all-important step and put on the sin-covering name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a very good reason why atheists are not baptized They do not believe there is a God so they put their faith in the theory that nothing plus no one equals everything It is very unscientific and takes more faith than to believe in a creator There are some who accept that there is a creator but think that he has chosen to remain silent Obviously their reason for not being baptized is that they don’t have to do anything if their god does not tell them anything to do.
If we accept the fact there is an all-wise Creator and that He has spoken, it seems to be the height of foolishness to ignore what He has commanded.
When God took Moses up into Mount Sinai, He did not give him the 10 suggestions They were 10 commandments Jesus has told us, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
When Peter went to visit Cornelius and his company, “he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” Ananias told Paul, “And now why tamest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Why then do some who know these things still put off being baptized? Some have said that although they believe it, they feel the Truth is so high and pure that they could never live it That is tantamount to saying to our Heavenly Father, “You made a mistake when you created me for You have made a human being incapable of obeying Your command” Since the Lord made us, He certainly did not make a mistake, and while we do make mistakes, we are not a mistake.
Jesus told us, “Fear not, little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” We know that we cannot earn our reward, but God wants to give it to us — providing we obey His commands, including the one to be baptized.
We rejoice with our two grandsons in the wisest decision they will ever make and we pray that our Heavenly Father will bless them as they seek first His kingdom. We pray that others will also heed our Lord’s invitation when he says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One